日本筑波大学人事制度改革的现状与问题

随着独立行政法人制度的实施,日本的国立大学进入前所未有的改革时代.历史悠长、理念常新的筑波大学力图以先进的改革理念和果断的举措成为国立大学改革之先锋.本文着眼于筑波大学的人事制度改革,介绍其背景、理念和主要措施.     

Applying Lakatos' theory to the theory of mathematical problem solving

In this paper, the relation between Lakatos' theory and issues about mathematics education — especially issues about mathematical problem solving — is reinvestigated by paying attention to Lakatos' methodology of a scientific research programme. By comparing the same findings about mathematical problem solving with the discussion in Lakatos' theory — e.g. research programmes' hard cores, their negative and positive heuristics, and their goals — we establish the correspondence between research programmes and solver's structures of a problem situation, i.e. structures given by a solver to a problem situation. After establishing this, the implications of Lakatos' theory, i.e. the nature of selection from competing programmes and the social origins of the cores of programmes, are applied to the discussion about mathematical problem-solving, with indications of the related evidence in the theory of mathematical problem solving which seems to support the application of those implications. Such an application leads to one view of mathematical problem solving, which reflects the irrational nature and social aspects of problem-solving activities, both in solving problems and in selecting better solutions.     

Single-cell attachment and culture method using a photochemical reaction in a closed microfluidic system

Recently, interest in single cell analysis has increased because of its potential for improving our understanding of cellular processes. Single cell operation and attachment is indispensable to realize this task. In this paper, we employed a simple and direct method for single-cell attachment and culture in a closed microchannel. The microchannel surface was modified by applying a nonbiofouling polymer, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, and a nitrobenzyl photocleavable linker. Using ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, the MPC polymer was selectively removed by a photochemical reaction that adjusted the cell adherence inside the microchannel. To obtain the desired single endothelial cell patterning in the microchannel, cell-adhesive regions were controlled by use of round photomasks with diameters of 10, 20, 30, or 50 μm. Single-cell adherence patterns were formed after 12 h of incubation, only when 20 and 30 μm photomasks were used, and the proportions of adherent and nonadherent cells among the entire UV-illuminated areas were 21.3%±0.3% and 7.9%±0.3%, respectively. The frequency of single-cell adherence in the case of the 20 μm photomask was 2.7 times greater than that in the case of the 30 μm photomask. We found that the 20 μm photomask was optimal for the formation of single-cell adherence patterns in the microchannel. This technique can be a powerful tool for analyzing environmental factors like cell-surface and cell-extracellular matrix contact.     

田径项目4×100m接力下压式和上挑式的特征比较

目的:通过对"上挑式"和"下压式"传接棒方式的对比研究,找出两种传接棒方式的技术特征.通过文献资料法、影像测量法、数量统计方法,对下压式和上挑式技术的运动学特征进行了实验研究,结果表明:下压式和上挑式技术动作的难易程度没有显著性差异,对自然跑速的影响和传接棒的效率上也没有显著性差异,主要差异在于接棒运动员通过接力区的时间和传接棒结束后的加速阶段的速度上.     

Word classification and hierarchy using co-occurrence word information

By the development of the computer in recent years, calculating a complex advanced processing at high speed has become possible. Moreover, a lot of linguistic knowledge is used in the natural language processing (NLP) system for improving the system. Therefore, the necessity of co-occurrence word information in the natural language processing system increases further and various researches using co-occurrence word information are done. Moreover, in the natural language processing, dictionary is necessary and indispensable because the ability of the entire system is controlled by the amount and the quality of the dictionary. In this paper, the importance of co-occurrence word information in the natural language processing system was described. The classification technique of the co-occurrence word (receiving word) and the co-occurrence frequency was described and the classified group was expressed hierarchically. Moreover, this paper proposes a technique for an automatic construction system and a complete thesaurus. Experimental test operation of this system and effectiveness of the proposal technique is verified.     

Is the expansion of higher education in Japan for young students only or for all? A critical analysis from a lifelong learning perspective

The recent restructuring of higher education in Japan has been carried out in the context of neo‐liberalism with an emphasis on the unbridled workings of market forces. However, civic discourse on issues such as active citizenship and social inclusion/exclusion, which is significant to higher education as a democratic public sphere, has been left behind. Focusing on this omission, this article aims at a critical analysis of the government expansion policy initiative in Japan. It includes discussion of a wide‐ranging group of participants, in particular adults who are disadvantaged with regard to access to higher education in a knowledge‐based society, from the point of view of lifelong learning. It is a very important subject in Japan to encourage the active participation of adults in higher education. Regarding this aspect, the article discusses significant points for building new concepts and systems in higher education, instead of the established traditional concepts and systems, which have contributed to the exclusion of adults from higher education.     

Lifelong education in Japan,a highly school-centred society: educational opportunities and practical educational activities for adults

In Japan the use of the term lifelong education has become widespread throughout the 1990s and is central to educational policies, which actively tackle crucial subjects that take place in a wide area of education in a drastically changing contemporary society. This paper examines in detail the present situation of the development of lifelong education, in particular concerning adults, relating to the traditional ideas and systems on education called a highly school-centred society. These traditional ideas and systems, even today in Japan, have still functioned to greatly value school credentials and disturb the widening of the participation of adults in lifelong education, nevertheless adults have stood in need of continuously studying up-to-date knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas and at a different level throughout their working lives.     

The New Role of the JUAA in Japanese University Evaluation

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of the JUAA in Japanese university evaluation, based upon its first progress evaluation. The underlying concept of university evaluation in Japan is a combination of self-monitoring and external valuation. It aims to move Japanese higher education systems from quantitative to qualitative development. There are many domains in university governance such as research, education, management, staff development, curriculum, admission policies, etc. This paper intends to examine how evaluation by the JUAA can provide incentive to improve them.     

Students' Appropriation Process of Mathematical Ideas and Their Creation of Hybrids of Old and New Ideas

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the processes themselves where students appropriated mathematical ideas and to gain an insight into how they can appropriate those cultural ideas. For this purpose, two actual processes where 4th and 5th graders learned cultural practices involving mathematical ideas were closely analyzed, focusing upon the similarities and differences between the standard methods introduced by others and the methods the target students invented during their learning. Such analyses illustrated the following characteristics of their appropriation processes: (a) the students created kinds of hybrids of old ideas they had drawn upon and new ideas introduced by others; (b) when new ideas were presented by others, the students tried to interpret them in the framework of the old ideas they had drawn upon; (c) the students tended to use old ideas or kinds of hybrids until they realized the limits of old ideas and the values of new ideas. These characteristics were also discussed from the viewpoint of resistance and active learning observed in the intramental effects of intermental functioning.